Four Nigerians, Isaac Akinwale, Ibrahim Olatunji, Habeeb Oshundairo, and Bisiriyu Abiodun have been sentenced to jail by a Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, for cybercrime-related offences.
The convicts were among 93 suspects arrested by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Sunday at a hotel located within the precincts of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
According to the EFCC, “upon profiling, almost all the suspects arrested have been indicted for alleged offences bordering on impersonation, identity and internet fraud.”
At the court sitting on Friday, the four defendants pleaded guilty to the charges upon arraignment.
Umar Shuaibu, an EFCC operative, testified that Akinwale used a false female identity to run an online celebrity scam, defrauding a victim of $500.
The prosecution, led by Franklin Ofoma, presented a 2007 Toyota Camry, a Galaxy phone, and a bank draft of ₦400,000 as exhibits.
Justice Dehinde Dipeolu sentenced Isaac Akinwale to three months’ imprisonment or a ₦1 million fine.
The judge further sentenced Ibrahim Olatunji to one month’s imprisonment or a ₦500,000 fine for his role in a romance scam.
Habeeb Oshundairo received 30 days of community service, which includes carrying a banner reading: “Cybercrime Does Not Pay. Stay Away from Cybercrime” after being convicted on two counts of impersonation and retaining ₦600,000 in criminal proceeds.
Meanwhile, Onunoye Olamilekan pleaded not guilty to charges of impersonating one “Nurse Becky” on Facebook and retaining $50 obtained through fraud.
His lawyer challenged the validity of the charge, arguing that the section of the Cybercrimes Act cited in the case did not exist.
The judge ordered Olamilekan’s remand at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre pending trial on October 31.
Although the EFCC had filed charges against 23 suspected fraudsters, the court only heard four cases at Friday’s session.
Dele Oyewale, EFCC spokesperson, said the arraignment of all the suspects would be conducted in batches.